1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a soft intraocular lens-folding device for folding a soft intraocular lens used in cataract operations and the like, and to a soft intraocular lens storage case for storing this soft intraocular lens.
2. Description of the Related Art
For example, in a cataract operation, the aim is to restore sight by a surgical procedure, which inserts into the eye a soft intraocular lens, which is an artificial lens in place of a natural lens that has become opaque due to a cataract.
This soft intraocular lens has a circular optical lens portion, and a pair of supporting portions for stabilizing this optical lens portion inside the eye.
As this soft intraocular lens, there has been provided in recent years a soft intraocular lens, the optical lens portion of which is formed using silicon resin, acrylic resin, hydrogel, and other such materials.
By virtue of this soft intraocular lens, the optical lens portion can be deformed by being folded in two. In accordance therewith, in a case in which a soft intraocular lens is inserted Into the eye, the optical lens portion can be inserted in a folded state. Numerous clinical advantages can be derived as a result thereof, such as making the size of the incision smaller at the time of surgery, and faster recovery after surgery.
When using this soft intraocular lens, the optical lens portion must be folded beforehand prior to inserting the soft intraocular lens into the eye.
As methods for carrying out this folding operation, in the past there was a method, which makes use of a special forceps-shaped tool called an extractor, and a method, which makes use of a special jig called an injector.
In the method that uses an extractor, two extractors are used. That is, in this method, firstly, a first extractor is held in the right hand, and the center portion of the optical lens portion is clamped and held by this extractor. Next, in the as-is condition, this extractor is then switched to and held in the other hand, and a second extractor for intraocular insertion is hold in the freed up right hand, and the optical lens portion is folded using this second extractor. After confirming that the second extractor is holding the optical lens portion securely in a folded condition, the first extractor is removed. Thereafter, the soft intraocular lens being folded by the s second extractor is inserted into the eye.
In the method that uses an injector, firstly, after setting a soft intraocular lens inside an injector, the tip of that injector is inserted into the insertion part of the eye. Next, the extrusion aperture of the injector is operated, and the soft intraocular lens is inserted into the eye from the tip of the injector (publication of Japanese Patent application No. 4-212350, for example).
Furthermore, as a method other than the two methods described hereinabove, there has been proposed a method, which makes use of the soft intraocular lens folder disclosed in Published Japanese translation of PCT international publication for patent application No. 9-501574.
This soft intraocular lens folder is constituted such that 2 pairs of opposing jaws are formed respectively in a pair of pliers-shaped lever handles, and the edge of an optical lens portion is placed in and held by 4 supporting portions formed by these 2 pairs of jaws, and, in addition, by squeezing these lover handles, the gap of the pair of jaws of one side is made narrower, while at the same time, the gap of the pair of jaws of the other side is made wider.
If this tool is used, when the optical lens portion being held by the 2 pairs of jaws is folded by being put between the pair of jaws of the one side, it is possible to make the pair of jaws of the other side open and recede so as not to impede the folding thereof. In accordance therewith, folding can be performed with a soft intraocular lens being hold as-is.
However, the inventors have clearly shown that the above-mentioned respective 3 methods have the following problems.
That is, in the above-mentioned method in which 2 extractors are used, a problem is that operation is complicated, a problem is that it is difficult to accurately grasp the center of an optical lens portion, and a problem is that there is the danger of dropping a lens when switching an extractor from one hand to the other, and when re-grasping a lens. Another problem is that since the center portion of an optical lens portion is grasped and held by an extractor, the most important portion of a soft intraocular lens from the standpoint of optics is apt to be damaged by the extractor. Based an the above, the problem is that in surgery, in which quick, accurate actions are especially required, this method imposed a significant burden even on the skilled physician.
The above-mentioned method in which an injector is used appears at a glance to be simple and reliable. However, in actuality, if a soft intraocular lens is not set inside an injector precisely from the standpoint of the injector mechanism, there is the danger of the soft intraocular lens getting stuck inside the injector, and either not being able to be injected, or not being injected into the proper position. Therefore, with this method, a soft intraocular lens has to be set precisely inside an injector. However, with this method, the problem Is that it was not always easy to set a soft intraocular lens precisely inside an injector.
In the above-mentioned method in which a lens folder is used, two different operations, i.e. narrowing the gap of one side of the 2 pairs of jaws, while at the same time widening the gap of the other side must be carried out in concert. In accordance therewith, in this method, a problem is that the structure is complex, and it is apt to become very costly. Further, in this method, a problem is that, when folding an optical lens portion by manually operating the lever handle, if there is a mistake in the degree of force used in operating this handle, there is apt to be damage done to the optical lens portion by the application of unreasonable force to the optical lens portion. Furthermore, with this method, the folding of an optical lens portion must be carried out by holding the edge of the optical lens portion in the proper position over the 4 supporting portions formed by the 2 pairs of jaws. However, a problem is that this operation is also unexpectedly troublesome, and considerable concentration is required to perform this properly. This is because, if the optical lens portion holding position is inaccurate, not only is it not possible to fold the optical lens portion accurately, there is also the danger that the soft intraocular lens will slip off during folding.
An object of the present invention is to provide a soft intraocular lens-folding device and storage case, which have simple constitutions offering superb reliability and economical efficiency, and which are capable of performing handling and operating simply and reliably when holding and folding a soft intraocular lens.
To solve the above-mentioned problems, a soft intraocular lens-folding device of a first invention has (1)-(4) hereinbelow as characteristics:
(1) A movable member and a base member.
(2) A movable member comprises a pair of legs and a connecting portion. The pair of legs is made elastically bendable. The connecting portion has the function of connecting the pair of legs.
(3) A lens-receiving portion and a wall portion are disposed at the tips of the pair of legs. A soft intraocular lens is set astride both legs in the lens-receiving portion. The wall portion has the function of clamping a soft intraocular lens set in the lens-receiving portion.
(4) The base member comprises a slide groove portion. This slide groove portion is formed so as to allow the tips of the pair of legs to penetrate and slide through, and, in addition, to narrow the gap of the pair of legs in accordance with the extent of the movement thereof.
A second invention is characterized in that the first invention comprises a load-absorbing portion. This load-absorbing portion is disposed on the pair of legs. Further, this load-absorbing portion has the function of carrying out bending deformation by centrally absorbing the deformation load acting on the pair of legs in accordance with this pair of legs moving inside the slide groove portion.
A third invention is characterized in that the first invention comprises a positioning portion. This positioning portion has the function of positioning in a prescribed location in the sliding direction of the movable member a soft intraocular lens to be set in the lens-receiving portion.
A fourth invention is characterized in that the first invention comprises an orientation setting portion. This orientation setting portion has the function of setting the orientation of a soft intraocular lens set in the lens-receiving portion to a prescribed orientation in a direction of rotation with the central axis of this soft intraocular lens as the axis of rotation.
A fifth invention is characterized in that the first invention comprises a guide groove portion. This guide groove portion is disposed in the slide groove portion. Further, this guide groove portion has the function of guiding the parts of the pair of legs that are to the rear of the tips.
A sixth invention is characterized in that the first invention comprises a rise-up preventing portion. This rise-up preventing portion has the function of preventing the movable member from rising up out of the slide groove portion.
A seventh invention is characterized in that the first invention comprises a positioning portion. This positioning portion has the function of positioning the lens-receiving portion in a lens-receiving location that enables the setting of a soft intraocular lens in this lens-receiving portion.
An eighth invention is characterized in that the first invention comprises a positioning portion, This positioning portion has the function of positioning the lens-receiving portion in a lens-folding-completion position in which the folding of the above-mentioned soft intraocular lens set in this lens-receiving portion is completed.
A ninth invention is characterized in that the connecting portion of the first invention connects the base portion of the pair of legs.
A tenth invention is characterized in that the connecting portion of the first invention is integrally formed with the pair of legs.
To solve the above-mentioned problems, a soft intraocular lens storage case of an eleventh invention has (1)-(5) hereinbelow as characteristics.
(1) A movable member, a base member, and a lid member.
(2) A movable member comprises a pair of legs and a connecting portion. The pair of legs is made elastically bendable. The connecting portion has the function of connecting the pair of legs.
(3) A lens-receiving portion and a wall portion are disposed at the tips of the pair of legs. A soft intraocular lens is set astride both legs in the lens-receiving portion. The wall portion has the function of clamping a soft intraocular lens set in the lens-receiving portion.
(4) The base member comprises a slide groove portion. This slide groove portion is formed so as to allow the tips of the pair of legs to penetrate and slide through, and, in addition, to narrow the gap of the pair of legs in accordance with the extent of the movement thereof.
(5) The lid member forms a lens storage space for storing the above-mentioned soft intraocular lens set in the lens-receiving portion.
A twelfth invention is characterized in that the lens storage space of the eleventh invention is opened and closed by sliding the lid member.
A thirteenth invention is characterized in that the sliding direction of the lid member in the twelfth invention is set in the same direction as the sliding direction of the movable member.
A fourteenth invention is characterized in that the sliding direction of the lid member for opening the lens storage space in the thirteenth invention is set in the same direction as the sliding direction of the movable member for folding a soft intraocular lens.
A fifteenth invention is characterized in that the movable member and the lid member of the fourteenth invention are capable of sliding independently.
A sixteenth invention is characterized in that the movable member and the lid member of the fifteenth invention are capable of being slid and operated together.
A seventeenth invention is characterized in that the eleventh invention comprises a load-absorbing portion. This load-absorbing portion is disposed on the pair of legs. And this load-absorbing portion performs bending deformation by centrally absorbing the deformation load acting on the pair of legs in accordance with this pair of legs moving inside the slide groove portion.
An eighteenth invention is characterized in that the eleventh invention comprises a positioning portion. This positioning portion has the function of positioning in a prescribed location in the sliding direction of the movable member a soft intraocular lens to be set in the lens-receiving portion.
A nineteenth invention is characterized in that the eleventh invention comprises an orientation setting portion. This orientation setting portion has the function of setting the orientation of a soft intraocular lens set in the lens-receiving portion to a prescribed orientation in a direction of rotation with the central axis of this soft intraocular lens as the axis of rotation.
A twentieth invention is characterized in that the eleventh invention comprises a guide groove portion. This guide groove portion is disposed in the slide groove portion. And this guide groove portion has the function of guiding parts of the pair of legs that are to the rear of the tips.
A twenty-first invention is characterized in that the eleventh invention comprises a rise-up preventing portion. This rise-up preventing portion has the function of preventing the movable member from rising up out of the slide groove portion.
A twenty-second invention is characterized in that the eleventh invention comprises a positioning portion. This positioning portion has the function of positioning the lens-receiving portion in a lens-receiving location that enables the setting of a soft intraocular lens in this lens-receiving portion.
A twenty-third invention is characterized in that the eleventh invention comprises a positioning portion. This positioning portion has the function of positioning the lens-receiving portion in a lens-folding-completion position in which the folding of the above-mentioned soft intraocular lens set in this lens-receiving portion is completed.
A twenty-fourth invention is characterized in that the connecting portion of the eleventh invention connects the base portion of the pair of legs.
A twenty-fifth invention is characterized in that the connecting portion of the eleventh invention is integrally formed with the pair of legs.
A twenty-sixth invention is characterized in that the eleventh invention comprises the constitutions of the twelfth invention through the twenty-fifth invention.
A twenty-seventh invention is characterized in that the load-absorbing portion of the twenty-sixth invention is formed by partially narrowing the width of the legs.